Genetic Inactivation of ZCCHC6 Suppresses Interleukin-6 Expression and Reduces the Severity of Experimental Osteoarthritis in Mice

OBJECTIVE

Cytokine expression is tightly regulated posttranscriptionally, but high levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) in patients with osteoarthritis (OA) indicate that regulatory mechanisms are disrupted in this disorder. The enzyme ZCCHC6 (zinc-finger CCHC domain-containing protein 6; TUT-7) has been implicated in posttranscriptional regulation of inflammatory cytokine expression, but its role in OA pathogenesis is unknown. The present study was undertaken to investigate whether ZCCHC6 directs the expression of IL-6 and influences OA pathogenesis in vivo.

METHODS

Human and mouse chondrocytes were stimulated with recombinant IL-1β. Expression of ZCCHC6 in human chondrocytes was knocked down using small interfering RNAs. IL-6 transcript stability was determined by actinomycin D chase, and 3'-uridylation of microRNAs was determined by deep sequencing. Zcchc6^-/- mice were produced by gene targeting. OA was surgically induced in the knee joints of mice, and disease severity was scored using a semiquantitative grading system.

RESULTS

ZCCHC6 was markedly up-regulated in damaged cartilage from human OA patients and from wild-type mice with surgically induced OA. Overexpression of ZCCHC6 induced the expression of IL-6, and its knockdown reduced IL-6 transcript stability and IL-1β-induced IL-6 expression in chondrocytes. Reintroduction of Zcchc6 in Zcchc6^-/- mouse chondrocytes rescued the IL-1β-induced IL-6 expression. Knockdown of ZCCHC6 reduced the population of micro-RNA 26b (miR-26b) with 3'-uridylation by 60%. Zcchc6^-/- mice with surgically induced OA produced low levels of IL-6 and exhibited reduced cartilage damage and synovitis in the joints.

CONCLUSION

These findings indicate that ZCCHC6 enhances IL-6 expression in chondrocytes through transcript stabilization and by uridylating miR-26b, which abrogates repression of IL-6. Inhibition of IL-6 expression and significantly reduced OA severity in Zcchc6^-/- mice identify ZCCHC6 as a novel therapeutic target to inhibit disease pathogenesis.

143 Effect of corpus luteum on recovery rate, quality, and in vitro developmental competence of oocytes in Bos indicus dairy cows

Assisted reproductive technologies have modernized the dairy industry for the rapid multiplication of superior genetic traits. However, the exploitation of genetics through in vitro embryo production in farm animals has been struggling during the last 3 decades. The presence or absence of a corpus luteum (CL) on ovaries from which cumulus-oocyte complexes were recovered has been shown to affect the quality of oocytes and in vitro embryo production outcome in Bos taurus cows. Similar information is lacking in Bos indicus cows. Therefore, the objectives of the present study were to determine the effect of presence or absence of a CL on recovery rate, quality, and in vitro developmental competence of oocytes in Bos indicus dairy cows. This study was conducted from December 2017 to April 2018. The ovaries were harvested from a local abattoir (Bos indicus; 5- to 8-year-old cows having mixed parity with clinically normal reproductive tracts). These ovaries (n=750) were divided into 2 groups [(1) CYCLIC (n=318) and (2) ACYCLIC (n=432)] based on the presence or absence of mature CL having follicles on either left or right ovaries of slaughtered cows. Blood samples from the jugular vein were collected at slaughter. Serum concentrations of progesterone of CYCLIC and ACYCLIC cows were measured using radioimmunoassay. Mean number of recovered oocytes per ovary and serum concentration of progesterone were compared using PROC TTEST model. However, quality, maturation, cleavage, 8-cell, 16-cell, and morula rates were analysed by PROC FREQ model of Chi-squared. All the data was analysed using SAS (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA). Results revealed that the mean serum concentrations of progesterone (4.21±0.4v. 0.5±0.2ng mL−1; P<0.05) were higher in CYCLIC as compared with ACYCLIC cows, respectively. The mean number of oocytes recovered per ovary (6.5±4.5v. 4.0±4.4; P<0.05) was higher in CYCLIC than in ACYCLIC cows. The oocytes with grade I+II quality (55.3v. 47.6%; P<0.05) were higher, whereas oocytes with grade III+IV quality (44.5v. 52.4%; P<0.05) were lower, in CYCLIC as compared with ACYCLIC cows, respectively. Furthermore, cleavage rate (70.9v. 52.8%; P<0.05) was higher in CYCLIC than in ACYCLIC cows, respectively. Similarly, the 8-cell (38.5v. 20.8%; P<0.05) and 16-cell (20.0v. 10.9%; P<0.05) stage embryos were greater in CYCLIC as compared with ACYCLIC cows, respectively. In conclusion, the presence of CL has a beneficial effect on recovery rate, quality, and in vitro embryo production outcomes in Bos indicus dairy cows. It is implied that for ovum pickup, cyclic cows should be preferred.

142 Effect of follicular size on oocyte recovery rate, quality, and in vitro developmental competency following maturation, fertilization, and culturing in Bos indicus cows

Applied reproductive technologies include AI, multiple ovulation and embryo transfer, IVF, cloning, ovum pickup, and zygote intra-fallopian tube transfer in farm animals. Modern commercialized dairy farming is ever more relying on in vitro embryo production for maximal utilisation of superior genetics of female animals. Follicular size influenced the quality of the oocytes and their in vitro developmental competence in Bos taurus cows. However, this information is lacking in Bos indicus cows. Therefore, the objectives of the present study were to determine the effect of follicular size on recovery rate, quality, and in vitro developmental competence of the oocytes in Bos indicus cows. The ovaries (n=508) of 5- to 8-years-old Bos indicus cows, body condition score 2.75±0.25, having mixed parity and clinically normal reproductive tracts, were collected. These follicles on the ovaries were divided into 2 groups based on their size: (1) <6mm diameter and (2) ≥6mm diameter. The data on recovery; quality; maturation; cleavage rates; 4-cell, 8-cell, and 16-cell stages; and morula rate were analysed by Chi-squared test using SPSS version 20 software (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA, 2016) system for windows. Results revealed that oocytes with grade I+II quality (68.4v. 42.1%; P<0.05) were higher, whereas grade III+IV quality (31.6v. 57.5%; P<0.05) were lower, in ≥6mm as compared with <6mm groups, respectively. Moreover, the 4-cell (34.5v. 18.7%), 8-cell (15.4v. 7.7%), 16-cell (8.7v. 2.2%) stages and morula rate (4.5v. 0.3%) were higher (P<0.05) in ≥6mm as compared with <6mm groups, respectively. However, the maturation and cleavage rates did not differ (P>0.05) between both groups. It is concluded that oocytes having follicle size ≥6mm have better quality in terms of morphological grades and in vitro developmental competence in Bos indicus cows. It is implied that for maximum production of embryos through ovum pickup, the most appropriate follicular size for aspiration is ≥6 mm.

122 Effect of gonadotropin-releasing hormone plus 7-day progesterone (CIDR) with or without eCG on follicular dynamics, estrus response, and pregnancy rate in anestrous Beetal goats during nonbreeding season under subtropical conditions

Oestrus induction is a challenging task during the nonbreeding season in goats. Therefore, our objective was to evaluate the efficacy of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) plus a 7-day CIDR-based protocol with or without eCG for the induction of oestrus and fertility in acyclic Beetal goats during the nonbreeding season under subtropical conditions. Based on the absence of corpus luteum via ultrasonography, goats (n=56; mean weight=32.8±0.5 kg; body condition scre=2.5±0.1) were inserted with a CIDR (300mg progesterone) along with GnRH (Day 0), and randomly treated either with eCG (400 IU; n=35) or without eCG (control; n=21) on Day 7. The CIDR was removed on Day 7 and all does were administered single dose of prostaglandin F2α (75µg cloprostenol; Fatro, Italy). Following CIDR insertion, ovarian follicular dynamics was monitored daily through a 7.5-MHz transrectal transducer (Honda HS 1500, Japan) until ovulation in a subset of eCG (n=11) and control goats (n=10). Oestrus was detected at every 12h after CIDR removal with aproned bucks and does were bred naturally. Pregnancy was detected 25 days after breeding by transrectal ultrasound. Data were analysed by t-test, ANOVA, and Chi-squared test using SPSS (version 20.0, SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA). Oestrus occurred more often following CIDR removal in eCG v. control goats (94v. 57%; P<0.05). Similarly, onset of oestrus was earlier (36.0±2.1v. 54.2±4.7 h; P<0.05) and the duration of oestrus was longer in eCG v. control goats (i.e. 30.2±1.3v. 22.1±2.3 h; P<0.05). However, diameter of preovulatory follicles and interval to ovulation after CIDR removal were similar between eCG and control goats (P>0.05). In contrast, growth rate of preovulatory follicle after CIDR removal until ovulation in eCG goats was greater, and ovulation rate was higher than control goats (0.7±0.1v. 0.3±0.1 mm/day; 2.2±0.2v. 1.4±0.2, respectively; P<0.05). In eCG goats, the dominant follicle grew rapidly between Days 8 to 9 (P<0.05), whereas within control goats the dominant follicle grew at consistent rate (P>0.05). After CIDR removal, percentage of ovulating goats in eCG was higher as compared to the control group (100v. 44%; P<0.05). Within control goats, size of the dominant follicle in ovulatory goats was greater at the time of CIDR removal than anovulatory goats (5.7±0.3v. 5.0±0.15 mm; P<0.05), whereas wave emergence tended to be earlier after CIDR insertion in anovulatory goats (4.2±1v. 2.6±0.4 days; P=0.09). Pregnancy rate 25 days postbreeding did not differ between eCG and control goats [i.e. 49% (16/33) v. 25% (3/12); odds ratio 2.9/1; P>0.05]. In conclusion, the eCG protocol resulted in higher oestrus response, ovulation rate, and 3 times higher pregnancy rate in anestrous goats during the nonbreeding season.

Attachment of iron oxide nanoparticles to carbon nanofibers studied by in-situ liquid phase transmission electron microscopy

By using liquid phase transmission electron microscopy (LP-TEM), the dynamics of iron oxide nanoparticle (Fe-NP) attachment to carbon nanofibers (CNFs) and oxygen functionalized CNFs (CNF-Ox) were studied in-situ. The beam effect on the stability of the sample in various liquids was examined, and it was found that toluene provided the highest stability and resolution to image both CNF supports and Fe-NPs. Flowing particles dispersed in toluene through the liquid cell allowed direct monitoring of the attachment process at ambient temperature. Using CNF-Ox as a support led to a large extent and irreversible attachment of iron nanoparticle compared to a lower extent and reversible attachment of Fe-NPs to pristine CNF, indicating the influence of surface functionalization on colloidal particle attachment. The results were confirmed by lab-scale experiments as well as experiments performed with the electron beam switched off, verifying the notion that beam effects did not affect the attachment. This study revealed previously unknown phenomena in colloidal particle - support interactions and demonstrates the power of LP-TEM technique for studying such nanoscale processes.

Butein Activates Autophagy Through AMPK/TSC2/ULK1/mTOR Pathway to Inhibit IL-6 Expression in IL-1β Stimulated Human Chondrocytes

Background/Aims: Butein (2’,3,4,4’-Tetrahydroxychalcone), a polyphenol produced by several plants including Butea monoserpma, has been reported to exert potent anti-inflammatory activity but the mechanism remains unknown. In the present work we investigated the mechanism of Butein-mediated suppression of IL-6 expression in normal and human osteoarthritis (OA) chondrocytes under pathological conditions. Methods: Expression level of interleukin-6 (IL-6) protein in OA cartilage was analyzed by immunohistochemistry using a validated antibody. Chondrocytes derived from normal or OA cartilage by enzymatic digestion were pretreated with Butein followed by stimulation with interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and the levels of IL-6 mRNA were quantified by TaqMan assay and the protein levels were measured by Western immunoblotting. Autophagy activation was determined by Western blotting and confocal microscopy. Autophagy was inhibited by siRNA mediated knockdown of ATG5. Results: Expression of IL-6 protein was high in the OA cartilage compared to smooth cartilage from the same patient. OA chondrocytes and cartilage explants stimulated with IL-1β showed high level expression of IL-6 mRNA and protein. Butein increased the phosphorylation of AMPKαThr-172, TSC2Ser-1387 and ULK1Ser-317 and inhibited the phosphorylation of mTORSer-2448 and its downstream target p70S6K and increased autophagy flux that correlated with the suppression of the IL-1β mediated expression of IL-6 in normal and OA chondrocytes. In OA chondrocytes with siRNA-mediated knockdown of ATG5 expression, treatment with Butein failed to activate autophagy and abrogated the suppression of IL-1β induced IL-6 expression. Conclusion: Our findings demonstrate for the first time that Butein activate autophagy in OA chondrocytes via AMPK/TSC2/ULK1/mTOR pathway. Additionally, activation of autophagy was essential to block the IL-1β-induced expression of IL-6 in OA chondrocytes. These data support further studies to evaluate the use of Butein or compounds derived from it for the management of OA.

Blood Fibrinolytic System in Rana tigrina

Fibrinolytic activity is well demonstrable in the blood of Rana tigrina. There occurs prompt lysis of diluted plasma; and the plasma euglobulin fraction shows lysis on both unheated and heated fibrin (human or bovine) plates, implying the presence of plasmin-like enzyme in this fraction. The fibrinolytic activity is remarkably inhibited by the erythrocyte-lysate and is moderately enhanced by leucocytes-thrombocytes. EACA suppresses the lysis of dilute cell-free plasma clots at concentration of l0-4M or more, possibly indicating the presence of plasminogen activator in the plasma. Activation of fibrinolysis by human urokinase and not by streptokinase, shows the probable presence of plasminogen and absence of proactivator.

17β-estradiol Induces MMP-9 and MMP-13 in TMJ Fibrochondrocytes via Estrogen Receptor α

Temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorders, including degenerative TMJ disease, occur primarily in women of reproductive age. Previous studies showed elevated estrogen levels in subjects with TMJ disorders relative to controls and the presence of estrogen receptors α and β (ERα and ERβ) in TMJ fibrocartilage. Additionally, estrogen-induced overexpression of specific matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), including MMP-9 and MMP-13, in TMJ fibrocartilage is accompanied by loss of extracellular matrices. However, the contribution of ERα and ERβ in estrogen-mediated induction of MMP-9 and MMP-13 and the signaling cascade leading to the upregulation of these MMPs have not been elucidated. Here, we show that specific siRNAs and selective ER antagonists effectively block ERα or ERβ expression in primary mouse TMJ fibrochondrocytes, but that only blockage of ERα suppresses MMP-9 and MMP-13 levels induced by 17β-estradiol (E2). Overexpression of ERα but not ERβ enhances E2-induced MMP-9. Using the same loss-of-function and gain-of-function approaches, we demonstrate that E2 stimulates ERK activation through ERα and that inhibition of ERK phosphorylation reduces E2-induced MMP-9. Furthermore, we reveal that E2 promotes NF-κB and ELK-1 activation through ERα/ERK signaling and that knockdown of either one decreases the respective activity of these signaling mediators and MMP-9 expression induced by E2, indicating that both contribute to E2/ERα/ERK-mediated MMP-9 upregulation. This is supported by findings in which mutated binding sites of either NF-κB or ELK-1 in the MMP-9 promoter lead to a significant reduction of E2-stimulated promoter activity. Our findings provide novel molecular mechanisms for the understanding of E2-mediated upregulation of MMPs, having implications to pathophysiologic TMJ cartilage matrix turnover that may yield therapeutic intervention targets for TMJ disorders.

D-Meson Azimuthal Anisotropy in Midcentral Pb-Pb Collisions at sqrt[s]_{NN}=5.02 TeV

The azimuthal anisotropy coefficient v_{2} of prompt D^{0}, D^{+}, D^{*+}, and D_{s}^{+} mesons was measured in midcentral (30%-50% centrality class) Pb-Pb collisions at a center-of-mass energy per nucleon pair sqrt[s_{NN}]=5.02  TeV, with the ALICE detector at the LHC. The D mesons were reconstructed via their hadronic decays at midrapidity, |y|<0.8, in the transverse momentum interval 1<p_{T}<24  GeV/c. The measured D-meson v_{2} has similar values as that of charged pions. The D_{s}^{+} v_{2}, measured for the first time, is found to be compatible with that of nonstrange D mesons. The measurements are compared with theoretical calculations of charm-quark transport in a hydrodynamically expanding medium and have the potential to constrain medium parameters.

Plk1 phosphorylation of Numb leads to impaired DNA damage response

Although Numb is well-recognized as a cell-fate determinant in stem/progenitor cells, accumulating evidence supports that Numb also has a critical role in adult tissues and cancers, in particular, in the context of regulation of tumor suppressor p53. Herein, we identified Numb as a novel substrate of Polo-like kinase 1 (Plk1). Of significance, we showed that Plk1-mediated phosphorylation of Numb leads to its enhanced proteasomal degradation and impaired Numb/p53 pathway, thus providing another mechanism how Plk1 antagonizes p53 during DNA damage response. In addition, the novel phosphorylation event identified by us further supports the notion that post-translational modifications of Numb uncouple Numb from p53 and lead to p53 destabilization. Finally, our data generated from both human cancer cell lines and mouse xenograft model showed that cancer cells carrying the unphosphorylated form of Numb by Plk1 are more sensitive to doxorubicin, a classical chemotherapeutic drug. Therefore, our work may provide future strategies for improving the efficacy of chemotherapy by targeting Numb phosphorylation by Plk1.

Short communication: Stall occupancy behavior of Nili Ravi buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) when first introduced to freestall housing

The aim of the present study was to assess stall occupancy of Nili Ravi buffaloes when first introduced to freestall housing. Thirty Nili Ravi buffaloes of different parity, weight, and pregnancy status were enrolled from the dairy farm of the University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore, Pakistan. All of the enrolled animals had no previous experience with freestalls. The selected buffaloes were introduced to the freestall shed. During an adaptation period of 7 d, all buffaloes had 24 h of free access to lie down in 1 of 3 areas: (1) freestalls, (2) alleys, and (3) an outside open area. After the adaptation period, all buffaloes were housed indoors during nighttime (restricted period) to ensure that only freestalls or alleys were available as lying areas. An observer monitored animals at 0100 h and recorded the number of animals lying in freestalls, in alleys, and in the outside open area. The results indicated that during the adaptation period, herd-level freestall occupancy in buffaloes remained below 10%. During the restricted period, herd-level stall occupancy was 0, 13, 50, and 90% on d 1, 2, 5, and 17, respectively. Buffaloes with parity ≥3 took fewer days (6.6 ± 1.0; mean ± standard error of the mean) to occupy stalls than buffaloes with parity 2, 1, and heifers (13.2 ± 1.5, 16.7 ± 2.1, and 13.5 ± 2.1 d, respectively). Body weight and pregnancy status of buffaloes did not have any effect on stall occupancy. Buffaloes showed adjacent stall occupancy, filling opposite stalls first. The results indicated that older buffaloes occupied freestalls earlier than younger buffaloes. Our findings would help better manage buffaloes in freestall housing.

Infective endocarditis caused by Brucella melitensis: a case report highlighting the importance of history taking and laboratory analysis

We present a case of Brucella endocarditis in a 13 year old patient with known aortic stenosis. She was admitted to the National Heart Institute/Institut Jantung Negara, Malaysia with complains of fever, pain and swelling of left knee. Transthoracic echocardiography and transesophageal echocardiography showed no evidence of vegetations on the aortic valve. Differential diagnosis was made based on clinical manifestations, positive serology tests and isolation of Brucella melitensis from blood culture. The patient has a history of consumption of unpasteurised goat's milk prior to clinical symptoms. Although rare, the case emphasize that Brucella could be a potential complication of infective endocarditis (IE) involving patient who consumed unpasteurised goat's milk. The diagnosis of bacterial endocarditis based on clinical findings and supported by laboratory results has led to the appropriate treatment of this patient. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case reported for Brucella endocarditis in Malaysia.

Energy dependence of forward-rapidity [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] production in pp collisions at the LHC

We present results on transverse momentum ([Formula: see text]) and rapidity ([Formula: see text]) differential production cross sections, mean transverse momentum and mean transverse momentum square of inclusive [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] at forward rapidity ([Formula: see text]) as well as [Formula: see text]-to-[Formula: see text] cross section ratios. These quantities are measured in pp collisions at center of mass energies [Formula: see text] and 13 TeV with the ALICE detector. Both charmonium states are reconstructed in the dimuon decay channel, using the muon spectrometer. A comprehensive comparison to inclusive charmonium cross sections measured at [Formula: see text], 7 and 8 TeV is performed. A comparison to non-relativistic quantum chromodynamics and fixed-order next-to-leading logarithm calculations, which describe prompt and non-prompt charmonium production respectively, is also presented. A good description of the data is obtained over the full [Formula: see text] range, provided that both contributions are summed. In particular, it is found that for [Formula: see text] GeV/c the non-prompt contribution reaches up to 50% of the total charmonium yield.

Characterization of Leucaena (

For the first time, we report the characterization of triacylglycerols and fatty acids in Leucaena (Leucaena leucephala) oil [LUCO], an unexplored nontraditional non-medicinal plant belonging to the family Fabaceae. LUCO was converted to fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs). We analyzed the triacylglycerols (TAGs) of pure LUCO and their FAMEs by time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOF-MS) followed by multivariate analysis for discrimination among the FAMEs. Our investigations for the analysis of LUCO samples represent noble features of glycerides. A new type of ion source, coupled with high-resolution TOF-MS was applied for the comprehensive analysis of triacylglycerols. The composition of fatty acid based LUCO oil was studied using Gas Chromatography (GC-FID). The major fatty acid components of LUCO oil are linoleic acid (52.08%) oleic acid (21.26%), palmitic acid (7.91%) and stearic acid (6.01%). A metal analysis in LUCO was done by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS). The structural elucidation and thermal stability of LUCO were studied by FT-IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR spectroscopic techniques and TGA-DSC, respectively. We also measured the cytotoxicity of LUCO.

Psychological Well-being among Postgraduate Students

This study attempted to determine the level of psychological well-being among postgraduate students. The study also aimed to assess the relationship between psychological well-being and demographic factors, such as age and field of study. Psychological well-being questionnaires were administered to a sample of 192 Master of Education students. The findings demonstrated that Master of Education students possessed a slightly high level of psychological well-being. Differences were found in students’ psychological well-being across age groups, F (4, 167) = 3.178, p = 0.01, and field of study, F (8, 163) = 2.668, p = 0.01, respectively. According to the results, students in the age group of 41 years and above possessed the highest level of psychological well-being (M = 5, SD = 0.71).

Production of [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] mesons up to high transverse momentum in pp collisions at 2.76 TeV

The invariant differential cross sections for inclusive [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] mesons at midrapidity were measured in pp collisions at [Formula: see text] TeV for transverse momenta [Formula: see text] GeV/c and [Formula: see text] GeV/c, respectively, using the ALICE detector. This large range in [Formula: see text] was achieved by combining various analysis techniques and different triggers involving the electromagnetic calorimeter (EMCal). In particular, a new single-cluster, shower-shape based method was developed for the identification of high-[Formula: see text] neutral pions, which exploits that the showers originating from their decay photons overlap in the EMCal. Above 4 GeV/[Formula: see text], the measured cross sections are found to exhibit a similar power-law behavior with an exponent of about 6.3. Next-to-leading-order perturbative QCD calculations differ from the measured cross sections by about 30% for the [Formula: see text], and between 30-50% for the [Formula: see text] meson, while generator-level simulations with PYTHIA 8.2 describe the data to better than 10-30%, except at [Formula: see text] GeV/[Formula: see text]. The new data can therefore be used to further improve the theoretical description of [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] meson production.

Pattern of first- and second-line drug resistance among pulmonary tuberculosis retreatment cases in Pakistan

BACKGROUND

Drug resistance in general, and multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) in particular, threatens global tuberculosis (TB) control efforts. Population-based estimates of drug resistance are needed to develop strategies for controlling drug-resistant TB in Pakistan.

OBJECTIVE

To obtain population-based data on Mycobacterium tuberculosis drug resistance in Pakistan.

METHODS

To obtain drug resistance data, we conducted a population-based study of TB cases in all provinces of Pakistan. We performed culture and drug susceptibility testing on M. tuberculosis isolates from patients with a prior history of anti-tuberculosis treatment (retreatment cases) from all over the country.

RESULTS

Of 544 isolates from previously treated cases, 289 (53.1%) were susceptible to all first-line drugs, 255 (46.9%) were resistant to at least one anti-tuberculosis drug and 132 (24.3%) were MDR-TB. Among MDR-TB isolates, 47.0% were ofloxacin (OFX) resistant. Extensively drug-resistant TB was found in two (0.4%) isolates.

CONCLUSION

Prevalence of drug resistance in retreatment isolates was high. The alarmingly high prevalence of OFX resistance among MDR-TB isolates may threaten the success of efforts to control and treat MDR-TB.

Base catalysed N-functionalisation of boroxazolidones

A method for the condensation of boroxazolidones derived froml-valine with aromatic aldehydes, catalysed by 1,5,7-triazabicyclo[4.4.0]dec-5-ene was developed.

Phytochemical screening and evaluation of anti-microbial and anti-oxidant activity of Elettaria cardamom (Cardamom)

The present study deals with the phytochemical screening and evaluation of antibacterial and antioxidant activities from the crude methanol extract of the seeds of cardamom, Elettaria cardamom. Crude methanol extract was investigated for their antibacterial activity against Enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC), Listeria monocytogenes,Bacillus pumilus and Escherichia coli. The extract showed maximum zone of inhibition (20.3 mm) against EPEC, however, the antibacterial potential of the extract was slightly lesser against normal E. coli (19 mm). It showed moderate anti-bacterial activity against L. monocytogenes and B. pumilus. Dose-dependent increase in antioxidant activity was also noticed in crude extract as measured by DPPH free radical scavenging assay. Thus, our study reports various phytochemicals in the seeds of cardamom with antioxidant and antibacterial potential.